This invention relates to a technique for enabling a voice telephone subscriber to send an outbound message to a facsimile machine.
Facsimile transmission is a well-known mechanism for transmitting documents via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). To transmit a document, an operator at an originating facsimile machine enters a telephone number associated with a receiving machine. Upon establishing a connection, the first facsimile machine optically scans each page of the document to yield a corresponding bit-map file or the like for transmission to the receiving facsimile machine. The receiving machine prints the bit map file by thermal printing on special paper or on plain paper using carbon transfer, ink jet or a laser printing mechanism. More recently, personal computers, and even personal data assistant devices, when programmed with special software, can now originate and receive facsimile transmissions, obviating the need for a dedicated machine for this purpose.
Unless a user has access to a facsimile machine or other hardware that is capable of initiating a facsimile transmission, the user must rely on alternate means of communications, such as voice or e-mail, to communicate the information in a document to a receiving party. While these alternatives have their place, facsimile transmission has certain advantages. In many legal agreements, facsimile transmission serves as a recognized mode of providing notice whereas voice and e-mail do not. Moreover, there are often instances when providing a receiving party with a hard copy document is critical, a capability not available with voice communications.
Thus, there is a need for providing a user with the capability of sending a facsimile transmission without the need for the user to possess any special hardware, other than a telephone connected to the PSTN.
Briefly, the present invention concerns a technique for enabling a voice subscriber to send a facsimile from his/her telephone without the need for a facsimile machine or the like. To send a facsimile, the voice subscriber dials a telephone number, typically, although not necessarily, a toll-free number, associated with a platform within a telecommunications network that provides outbound speech-to-facsimile service. Upon receipt of the subscriber""s call, the platform prompts the subscriber to speak a voice message for facsimile transmission. Additionally, the platform also prompts the subscriber for the identity of the recipient. The prompt may ask that the subscriber enter the recipient""s facsimile number via DTMF signals entered through the telephone keypad. Rather than prompting the subscriber to enter DTWF digits, the platform may prompt the subscriber to speak the digits of the recipient""s facsimile number. Alternatively, the platform may prompt the subscriber for the name or other non-telephone number identifier of the subscriber, whereupon the platform would launch a database to establish the recipient""s facsimile number from such information. Thereafter, the platform would translate the subscriber""s spoken message into a bit map file or other appropriate format for transmission as a facsimile message. The platform would then launch a call to the recipient""s facsimile machine and send the message. Depending on the manner in which the outbound voice-to-facsimile service is made available, the platform may prompt the subscriber for validating information prior to prompting for the message itself to determine if the subscriber is authorized to seek this service.